Synthesis of α-CF3-substituted carbonyl compounds with relative and absolute stereocontrol using electrophilic CF3-transfer reagents.

Evans-type chiral lithium imide enolates undergo diastereoselective α-trifluoromethylation with a hypervalent iodine-CF(3) reagent with up to 91% combined isolated yield and 97:3 dr. The resulting isolated diastereopure products can be further transformed into valuable products without racemization.